By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, February 13, 2016
Eighteen-year-old Taylor Fritz beat Ricardas Berankis in Memphis to become the youngest American man since Michael Chang in 1989 to reach an ATP final.
Photo credit: Alex Smith/Memphis Open
Overpowered in the opening set by an opponent punishing his serve as if it were a pinata, Taylor Fritz made a bold decision.
Go hard or go home.
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Amping up the pace on his serve and wrenching control in critical rallies, the 18-year-old American achieved a coming of age moment in Memphis tonight.
Playing just his third ATP tournament, Fritz fought back for a gritty 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Ricardas Berankis, becoming the youngest American man to reach a final since a 17-year-old Michael Chang won Wembley in 1989.
"It's incredible," Fritz said. "After the first set it wasn't looking too good. I was getting outplayed in every way possible. But I was able to turn it around and that makes it so much better in the end."
Five months after Fritz won the US Open junior championship and opted to forgo a college scholarship to pursue a pro career, he made history in Memphis. Fritz will face defending champion Kei Nishikori in tomorrow's title match. The top-seeded Nishikori rallied past Sam Querrey, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, in tonight's second semifinal.
In just his fifth main-draw match, Fritz's blitz is one of the fastest American trips to an ATP final in the Open Era. Jimmy Connors and Andy Roddick both reached finals in their 10th tournaments, Andre Agassi did it in his 11th event, while it took Pete Sampras 34 tournaments to reach his first ATP final.
The poise Fritz displayed surviving the first-set battering and withstanding a couple of break points serving for his first final were nearly as impressive as the result. He hit 10 of his 17 aces in the final set.
"I really didn't think there was much to do; there's nothing more frustrating than feeling you're not doing anything wrong and you're getting destroyed," Fritz said. "The biggest change I made was going for a lot more on my serve. I bumped up my serve speed a lot."
Initially, Berankis was not fazed at all by the serve, ripping returns, bullying the teenager around the baseline and bursting out to a 4-1 lead.
Stepping a few feet inside the baseline to take the kicker on the rise, Berankis drew a double fault for double break point then jolted Fritz back with an early return breaking for the third time in four service games for 5-2. An energized Berankis served out the 31-minute opening set at 15 with a clenched fist toward his box.
Fritz broke for a 4-2 second-set lead, but played a few loose shots in running rallies as Berankis broke back at love for 3-4. Fritz continued to apply the pressure and when Berankis knocked a high backhand volley into net, the teenager had his second straight break for 5-2.
By the early stages of the decider, Fritz was winning the battle of court positioning, moving closer to the line and cracking the ball. Feeling the pressure, Berankis spit up his second double fault as Fritz broke for 2-1.
It wasn't all power play. Fritz showed fine racquet skills, impeccable control off the topspin lob and some feel on the stretch.
A rainbow lob caused Berankis to stumble and fall in the eighth game. The world No. 102 quickly got back on his feet and snapped off a forehand return winner—his fifth break of the match—to level at 4-all.
The Fritz lob was a key stroke down the stretch. Berankis bungled a smash for the second time then put a backhand into net giving the American double break point. A tight Berankis stiff-armed a double fault deep—the second time he double faulted a break away—as Fritz broke for 5-4.
Berankis saved three match points, but Fritz showed some guts going for a big second serve that set up a backhand crosscourt for match point number four. He dragged a forehand wide and was back at deuce. Fritz fought off a break point and slide an ace down the T for match point number five. When Berankis netted a backhand the teenager thrust his arms in the air in celebration.
That celebration was short-lived. Fritz was soon texting his parents and then faced the challenge of coming down from the euphoria to partner Ryan Harrison in the doubles semifinal tonight.
The 2015 junior world No. 1 is projected to rise to No. 103 by reaching the final. His performance tonight suggests he'll be going a lot higher.
"It feels incredible," Fritz said. "It's crazy what winning four tennis matches can achieve. I'm just so happy to be here and so excited to keep moving forward and keep improving."